Tavern Manual · The Game The World Tavern Poker Tour is a national organization that brings live No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em Poker tournaments to Taverns across the country. Yes, this

www.WorldTavernPoker.com

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Tavern Manual Spring 2005


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Table Of Contents General Information

Welcome to the World Tavern Poker Tour 3 World Tavern Poker Tour Overview 4

Frequently Asked Questions 6 Strategic Marketing Plan 11 How To Play Texas Hold ‘Em

Overview 18 Table Rule Cards 19 Player Seating 19 “Betting”* 22 Blinds 22 Side Pots 24 Discrepancies 25 Player Scoring 25 Player Point System 26 Hand Rankings 27

How To Host A World Tavern Poker Tour Event

Overview 29 Setting Your Schedule 30 Equipment Needed 31 Player Registration 32 Tournament Results 32 Setting Up Check List 32 Coloring In Chips 36 Combining Tables 35

WorldTavernPoker.com 37

Marketing CD 47


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Welcome

Welcome to The World Tavern Poker Tour. The WTPT was developed to provide a venue for poker players to play the game they love in bars and taverns across the country, while providing tavern owners a new and exciting event to drive hundreds and thousands of customers into their places of business. This manual will give you all of the tools necessary to not only manage poker tournaments at your facility, but also to maximize your sales during these tournaments. As you read through the enclosed information, you will come across gambling terms such as “bet”, “raise”, “wager”, etc…PLEASE NOTE THAT THE WORLD TAVERN POKER TOUR IS NOT A GAMBILING EVENT, RATHER A FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT. NO PLAYER(S), AT ANY TIME ARE PERMITTED TO “BUY IN” TO A WTPT TOURNAMENT, NOR MAKE ANY TYPES OF WAGER WITH ANYTHING OF VALUE. We always recommend that you check with local authorities to understand any special rules you must follow in your area. This manual may seem overwhelming at first, however I can assure you that hosting No Limit Hold ‘Em tournaments is a very simple process. You will find that majority of the players are familiar enough with the game, that the tournaments manage themselves. We also strongly recommend that you send as many of your staff as possible to the Training Session in your area. Should you choose to read only a small part of this manual, READ THE STRATEGIC MARKETING PLAN. You chose to join the World Tavern Poker Tour to increase your business and/or provided an added entertainment value to your customers…This section will help you to maximize both! If you should have any questions, or ideas, please do not hesitate to contact us at 1.866.POKER22. Good Playing, Mike Matsinger Founder, World Tavern Poker Tour


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World Tavern Poker Tour Overview How It All Works The Game

The World Tavern Poker Tour is a national organization that brings live No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em Poker tournaments to Taverns across the country. Yes, this is the same game that you see played on ESPN, Fox Sports and other television stations. The format is similar to Dart and Pool leagues where players are playing regularly to compete for the Tavern, City and National Championships. The World Tavern Poker Tour will bring hundreds and thousands of players in your area to your Tavern for exciting live poker action!

The Tournaments

Each tournament is comprised of 10 to hundreds of players whereas they are playing until there is one Man or Woman left standing. There is no buy in but rather the players are playing for great prizes that you provide. Prizes from T-shirts and Hats up to Poker Tables and Poker Chip Sets.

The Season

The World Tavern Poker Tour is similar to other Pool and Dart leagues where there are 10 weeks in each season, during which the players are trying to qualify for the Tavern Championship. § 2 Weeks Pre-season (no points) § 6 Weeks Regular season § 2 Weeks Tavern Championship

The Scoring

The Top 20 players at each of your tournaments will receive scores based on a) What place they finished in, and b) How many players were in the tournament.

The Rankings

Each Player is ranked based on the average of their best scores. § Tavern Ranking – Avg of top 2 scores § City Ranking – Avg of top 3 scores § National Ranking – Avg of top 4 scores


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The Tavern Championship

At the end of each season, each Tavern’s top players will compete in a 1 or 2 week Tavern Championship whereas one Player will be given the title of Tavern Champion.

The City Championship

The top 8-12 finishers at your Tavern Championship will move on to the City Championship where they will play against other Tavern finalists in your area. The hosting Tavern will supply the prizes for the City Championship.

Regional/National Championships

As the World Tavern Poker Tour continues to grow, there will be Regional and National Championships held!


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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


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Print Tournament Registration We know that many of you might not read this entire manual, so we are putting the frequently asked questions at the front. Please read over these quickly, and reference them whenever a question arises. How Long Is The Season? The season is made up of 10 Weeks § 2 Weeks Pre-season § 6/7 Weeks Regular season § 1/2 Weeks Tavern Champ

*If you choose to have a 1 week Tavern Championship (generally for taverns with less than 50 players), you can host 7 weeks of regular season What Is The Schedule For This Season?

How many players should I expect the first week? Every tavern is different, however the more time you spend marketing the events inside your tavern, the better the response will be on the first week. From there you should expect your number of players to grow rapidly. What is the pre-season for? The pre-season was created so from the first day you sign up, you can begin hosting World Tavern Poker Tournaments. This gives you the opportunity to begin building the awareness of your events before the season begins. How many players get points For each tournament, you can give up to 20 players points.

Winter/Spring City Championships/Pre-Season April 4, 2005 April 10, 2005

Spring 2005 Pre-Season April 11, 2005 April 17, 2005

Spring 2005 Week 1 April 18, 2005 April 24, 2005

Spring 2005 Week 2 April 25, 2005 May 1, 2005

Spring 2005 Week 3 May 2, 2005 May 8, 2005




Spring 2005 Tavern Championships May 30, 2005 June 5, 2005

Spring 2005 Tavern Championships June 6, 2005 June 12, 2005

Spring/Summer City Championships/Pre-Season June 20, 2005 June 26, 2005


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What if a player wants to play that has not registered? If a player is not registered with the World Tavern Poker Tour they must first visit our website www.WorldTavernPoker.com and click on the Player Registration button. Once they are registered with us, you can log on to the site, and click on the ADD A PLAYER button for the appropriate tournament. What if a player doesn’t have e-mail? If a player doesn’t have e-mail, they can “fake” one. That is create an e-mail account that does not exist (i.e. [email protected]) The only issue is that you will not have any way of contacting them. What is the best location in my bar to hold the tournaments? As close to the bar as possible. The further away from the bar or holding them in a private room creates a more “serious” environment. When this happens, the players tend to have less fun and therefore sales suffer. How long after a tournament do I have to enter the results? You have up to 7 days, however we strongly recommend doing it within the first 24-48 hours. Not only will the events be “fresher” in your mind, you will avoid dozens of phone calls and e-mails from players wondering why the points have not been updated. What kind of prizes should I provide? The prizes are completely up to you, however we can not impress enough that they should carry some value to them. That is, prizes that might not cost a lot, but are valuable to the players. (i.e. World Tavern Poker Tournament Champion shirts, A poker table top, etc…) Don’t be cheap…the players will only come back so often to win a 3 hour tournament and walk away with a hat.

Prize Ideas § Poker Chip Sets ($50-$60 Trademarkpoker.com and Cosco) § Poke Table Tops ($30-$50 Trademarkpoker.com and Bed, Bath & Beyond) § Shirts/Hats/Jackets § Gift Certificates To Your Tavern § Poker Books/DVDs § Rounders (the movie) § Gift Certificates (Home Depot, Wal-Mart)


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How many players should I have at my Tavern Championship? The average turnout at your weekly tournaments. That is, if you generally have 60 players at each tournament you host, then I would recommend hosting 60 for the Tavern Championship as well. Don’t overload the Tavern Championship (with say 100 players) because then the value of playing for position during the season is lessened. In the manual, it says I can have 1 or 2 weeks of Tavern Championships, which should I do? If you have 50 or more players on average, we recommend holding your Tavern Championship over 2 weeks. During the first week, slow the blinds down (raise them every 45 minutes) and play until ½ of the field is left. During the second week, invite back your losers as well to play in a “losers” bracket. This way you are keeping your tavern filled during both evenings. You will receive details on hosting a Tavern Championship towards the end of the season. How many players get invited to the City Championship? It depends on the number of taverns in the City. You will receive details on the City Championship towards the end of the season Can I host the City Championship? The City Championships are a very important event and therefore there are specific requirements for becoming a host of a City Championship. If you meet the requirements below and are interested in hosting, please call us at 1.866.POKER22 § A main area that can seat 150 players comfortably § $250 Participation in City Championship prizes § Ability to secure local sponsors (local hotels, spas, golf shops, etc…) § Ability to host a WTPT Party for players who did not qualify for the City’s

How do players qualify for the World Series of Poker? Empire Poker, an online casino has asked if they can invite the Top 3 Players from each of our tournaments to play in a private, online tournaments (with just WTPT players) whereas the winner will receive a $10,000 Buy In to the World Series of Poker and $2,000 in Travel and Accommodations. This prize is NOT BEING GIVEN BY WORLD TAVERN POKER


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STRATEGIC MARKETING


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Marketing Your Tournament Like any part of your business, the success of your marketing will directly correlate with the success of your tournaments. That being said, Texas Hold ‘Em is so popular right now, it will not take much to get the word out. General Marketing Tips § Utilize the WTPT Marketing CD – We have provided you with posters, flyers,

logos, handouts and more on your marketing CD § Tying In With Our Brand – The World Tavern Poker Tour has a very loyal brand in

many of its markets. With hundreds of these fly by night leagues popping up around the country, be sure your audience knows you are a World Tavern Poker Tour host!

§ Tell Everyone – Make sure your staff asks everyone if they play poker and follow

up with the information on the events. Give them info on the format and the prizes they can win. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO FILL YOUR TOURNAMENTS!

§ Update Your Points Within 48 Hours – Believe it or not, I’ve seen more bars lose

players because they haven’t updated their scores regularly than anything else. Remember, Points are what these players are competing for, take that away from them, and they will find somewhere else to play.

§ Make Sure Your Staff Is Knowledgeable – There is no better form of advertising

than your staff, be sure they have all the details about your poker tournaments so they can effectively market it and answer questions intelligently.

§ Work With The Competition – Believe it or not, the more taverns in your area

hosting WTPT events, the more crowded your tournaments will play. Many players will play in a different bar in your area, as much as 7 nights a week. Work with your competition to get the word out and maximize your tournaments!

§ Invite The Local Press – Invite your local newspapers to come in to cover the

event. A tournament that took place in NC got the Front Page of the local paper!!!! § Special Events – Consider holding special tournaments such as Women’s

Tournament, a charity Event or Senior’s Tournament.


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§ Celebrity Events – Consider hosting a celebrity event. Invite all of the “faces of your town”. Radio personalities, TV anchors, Popular residence. You can do this for fun or even to raise money for a charity.

External Marketing § Signage – If you have a sign outside your facility, utilize it! Poker is so popular

right now you will find that the message will draw people in even during non-tournament times.

§ Newspapers/Radio – Getting the message out through traditional media will result

in successful tournament turn out. If you already have an external marketing schedule, be sure to

§ Online Poker Forums – Below is a list of numerous online poker forums.

Consistently post messages about tournaments, results, prizes, etc… As well, be sure to spend some time online finding other websites that might be specific to poker in your area!

o www.homepokergames.com/ o www.localpoker.com o www.findpokerpal.com o www.pokerpal.org/

§ Website – If you have a website, be sure to create a link to

www.WorldTavernPoker.com Tell all your players to register ON YOUR WEBSITE. § Press Releases – Send press releases to every newspaper, radio station, etc… in

your area talking about the popularity of Poker and that it is played at your Tavern. Articles about the World Tavern Poker Tour have been in local news columns, to the Business Journals, on the local TV News Station to the Front Page of a major newspaper!

Internal Marketing § Signs/Posters – The Marketing CD has numerous layouts that you can customize

for signage inside your facility. Take advantage of it. § Move Them Around – A sign in the same place becomes part of the scenery.

Move your signage around on a regular basis.


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§ TOURNAMENTS ON BUSY NIGHTS – If you find that your tournaments aren’t filled early in the season…host a poker night on one of your busier nights of the week. You may take away a bit from that business, but you will introduce your Poker Tournaments to a much larger audience. This has proven effective time and time again!

Marketing Your Tournament (cont) § Poker Table Set Up – In a main area of your Tavern or Restaurant, take one of

your WTPT Table Covers, a deck of cards, some chips and one of your flyers, and place them on a small table. Customers may not recognize your posters, but I can assure you, if they play poker they will immediately be drawn to the table!

§ Announcements – Make announcements whenever you have the opportunity.

§ Tell Them What To Expect – No buy ins, great prizes, etc…

§ A Simple Message – Keep your message simple. “Poker Tournaments, Tuesday

7pm, No Buy In, Great Prizes.” As we mentioned earlier, you will quickly find that because of the popularity of poker, it won’t take much to spread the word. Start out focusing on low/no cost marketing ideas before you fill in with Newspaper/Radio and other more costly mediums.


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Becoming a host on the World Tavern Poker Tour can pay huge dividends to your business. This section discusses the ways to maximize the sales you realize during each tournament. The Poker Environment Keep in mind that you DO NOT WANT TO HOST A SERIOUS POKER TOURNAMENT! This is Karaoke for Poker. The more serious it becomes, the less likely your customers will spend money. KEEP IT FUN! § Set Up Near The Bar – Many bars have a private or separate room from the bar,

and many bar owners think that is a great location for a poker tournament. If at all possible, we recommend holding your tournament AS CLOSE TO YOUR BAR AS POSSIBLE! By allowing players who got knocked out to stand/sit near the bar, you will increase the chance of them hanging around and watching the play.

§ Final Table – Choose the table that is the most centrally located as your final table.

Patrons will swarm. Watching a whole tournament live might not be exciting, but watching the last few duke it out for the prizes can be quite enjoyable!

§ Smoking/Non-Smoking – You may find that in order to keep players coming back

you provide smoking and non-smoking tables. A non-smoker sitting in between 2 smokers at a poker table is a difficult thing to handle.

§ Eliminate The Pros – You will have people who play in your tournaments who

have played serious poker for years. They will try to enforce rules that they are used to playing with, be annoyed with the music, smoke, etc…Simply explain to them that this is not a $10,000 buy in tournament, that your guests are there to have fun!

§ Poker On The Televisions – If your facility has televisions in the area of the poker

tables, try and get videos of old World Series of Poker tournaments. What could a player love more than playing poker while watching it on TV!

§ Music – Don’t turn it off! As soon as you create a “serious” environment for these

players, they will tighten up, focusing more on their cards than ordering something from the server.

§ Slow To Start – You will probably find that during the 1st tournament of the evening

players are in the mind set of winning and may not want to drink. Find ways to loosen them up a bit (announcing people who are out, tables that are all in, etc…)


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§ Create Even More Excitement – Again, this is entertainment for them. Keep the

tables lively without interrupting. Tournament Scheduling § Consistent Days/Times – When setting your schedule, be sure to set consistent

days/times for your events so the players just know to show up. § 2 Tournaments A Night – Try to have 2 tournaments on each of your Poker

Nights. You will find that players that fall out early, are eager to stay later to play again.

§ Don’t Over-Schedule – If you start hosting poker tournaments every night, the

excitement will quickly wear off. That being said, if you could easily seat 200 players per week, and you only have the room for 75, then satisfy that demand!

§ Early Check In – Require your players to check in a min of 45 min before the

tournament begins. Staffing § Proper Staffing – There isn’t a tournament I go into where a player isn’t asking me

for a drink. Make sure you have the right staffing and that they are not afraid to approach the table. Hint: Teach them to watch, and ask the table for drinks IN BETWEEN HANDS!

§ Floor Mangers/Pit Bosses – Be sure that one of your staff is scheduled

specifically to run the tournament. It doesn’t require their full attention, but there are times when they are needed quickly. Let everyone know that during a discrepancy, the Floor Manager’s decision is final.

Food & Drink § Food/Drink Specials – Offer food/drink specials after or in between tournaments

to keep your guests around.


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§ Don’t Give It Away – Players are coming in to play poker, not for the Beer Specials. Rather than offering beer specials, discount your add on sales such as Shots and Appetizers

§ Energy Drinks – Many players who are playing late will stop drinking, offer a

discount on Energy Drinks (red bull, etc…) § Announce Your Specials – Be sure that all of your customers are aware of the

specials. § Free Snacks – Pretzels, Peanuts etc…at every table. Keep them thirsty

§ Ask Them If They Need A Drink - As you are Raising the Blinds, be sure to ask

“WHO NEEDS A DRINK”. You will be amazed at how many players haven’t been served.

§ Buffets – Some bars have been quite successful by offering a one price buffet to

their players. Warning: Don’t server ribs unless you want sticky cards! Prizes § Quantity Over Quality – We have found that while players like to win a high value

prize, it is more important to give prizes to more players. Even if the 5th place player gets 2 decks of cards or a t-shirt, they feel like they are leaving with something for their time!

§ Don’t Be Cheap! - If you are bringing in 100 players per night and $1,000 in

revenue, don’t give a t-shirt to the winner. They will only come back so many times to get a t-shirt and a $30 tab.

§ Different Prizes Every Night – Don’t give away the same prizes every time. Mix it

up. T-shirts, Gift Certificates, Poker Tables, Chips, etc…Login to www.WorldTavernPoker.com for some great prize packs we have put together!

§ Photos Of The Champions – Start a photo wall of the weekly champions. Add

what their winning hand was. People love nothing more than to see themselves plastered all over the wall.

§ The Trophy – Make sure everyone knows what they are really playing for, to get

into the Tavern Invitational and a chance to be the Tavern Champion! Keep the


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Trophy, and other prizes visible not only during the tournaments, but also during non-tournament times.

§ Focus On The Ego – Remember that Poker is about bragging rights. Be sure that

you make the final players the center of attention. Get the viewers screaming and cheering.

§ Keep It Fun – Aside from your regular prizes to the winners, be creative with some

other gifts. The first tournament I ever hosted, I announced that the first person out would receive a prize…the book, “Poker For Dummies”. The response was incredible. Think about things like, ugliest poker shirt, first 4 of a kind for the evening, first royal flush of the season. Be creative!

§ Get Feedback – As people are leaving, be sure to find out if they had fun. What

would they change about the tournament style, the environment or anything they have on their mind.

§ Market Other Events – Take advantage of the crowd by announcing other

events/specials your tavern has going on. § Special Poker Nights – Consider scheduling some extra curricular events such as

a Women’s Poker Tournament, or a Celebrity tournament that brings local celebrities in to play!

Every market and every Tavern is different. Be sure to customize your tournaments to your customers!


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HOW TO PLAY TEXAS HOLD ‘EM


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How To Play Texas Hold ‘Em Texas Hold 'Em is a seven card poker game that is very easy to learn, but very difficult to master. Each player is trying to make their best 5 card hand out of their 2 pocket cards and the 5 community cards dealt in the middle of the table. Prior to the deal, the player to the left of the dealer places a bet called the Little Blind, and the player 2 to the left of the dealer places a bet called the Big Blind. These are called “blinds” because the players are required to place bets before seeing any cards. This is done to keep play moving along. Each player is then dealt 2 cards down. Play starts to the left of the blind and continues clockwise around the table. Each player may bet, check, raise or fold in turn. This round of betting ends when the player in the Big Blind position makes a play. The dealer then burns (throws away a card face down) and deals 3 cards face up in the center of the table (The Flop). Another round of betting takes place, starting with the player to the left of the dealer, after which the dealer burns another card, and places 1 card face up in the center of the table (The Turn).


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How To Play Texas Hold ‘Em (cont) After another round of betting, the dealer then burns a card, and deals the 4th and final card up in the center of the table (The River) after which the final round of betting takes place. Players remaining in the hand will then show their cards and the winning poker hand will be awarded the pot. Any combination of hole cards and community cards may be used to make the best five-card poker hand. Notes Table Rule Cards § Included with your Registration Pack are 50 Table Rule Cards (below). These

cards are to be placed in the center of each table during play and included specific information in regards to Chip Point Amounts, Blind Schedules and the most “questionable” rules.

§ There is also room on each (blank box in the lower right corner) for you to add

information about Specials going on at your Tavern. Player Seating § We strongly recommend that players do not sit at the tables until play is about to

begin. This is to ensure no one disrupts the rule sheets, cards, chips, etc… that may already be on the table. As well, this gives them more “bar time”.


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How To Play Texas Hold ‘Em (cont) § Once the players are seated, everyone at the table is required to count their own

chips. A player cannot claim that they were not given the proper number of chips after play has begun.

§ One player opens/counts the cards on the table, and deals cards face up to every

player. The first Ace become the dealer. § Throughout the tournament, you will be combining tables as players are knocked

out. If possible, we recommend not combining tables until the break (see Blind Schedule) as it will make the Coloring In process much easier.

§ When combining tables, player position can change so we recommend “re-setting”

the deal each time you combine tables by dealing out first ace. Hand Rankings § The cards always call themselves meaning that if a player announces a Pair of

Aces, yet another player notices that they actually have a Straight, the Straight is the hand that is played.

§ In the case of a tie hand that uses less than 5 cards, the player with the highest

Kicker (non-played card in their hand) is declared the winner. If all 5 cards are tied, then the pot is split equally between the winning players.

§ You never go to a 6th card to determine a winning hand. For example let’s say 2

players are left in the hand. Player is holding A, 10 and has a straight using 4 of the cards on the board. Player 2 is holding A, 5 and also has a straight using 4 cards on the board. Because both players are using 5 cards for their straight, it is a Split Pot. Player 1 does not win because his/her 10 is higher than Player 2’s 5.


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How To Play Texas Hold ‘Em (cont) “Betting” Obviously because there is no buy in to any WTPT event, there is nothing at risk. The term betting used only to clarify how play happens. § Each player will receive 5,000 points in chips when they sit down at their table.

These points are made up of 20 chips. 15 red (100pts), 3 green (500pts) and 2 black (1,000pts.)

§ Because this is No Limit, at any point in time, any player can risk ALL of their chips

requiring other players to match. § The first round of “betting” (before the flop) starts with the player to the left of the

Big Blind (position 3). The second round of “betting” starts with the player still in the hand to the left of the dealer.

§ During each round of “betting”, there is a 3 raise maximum.

§ During the first round of “betting”, players must bet/raise a minimum of the Big Blind

§ The Big Blind is always the minimum “betting” limit for that hand. EVERY “bet”

and/or “raise” must be equal to or greater than the Big Blind. § As each player is “betting” they should place their chips in front of them (not in the

middle of the table). This insures that if there is a side pot created (see below) that each players chip amounts are clearly defined.

Blinds § Blinds are “bets” made by the 2 players to left of the dealer before they receive any

cards. Because there are no Antes in Texas Hold ‘Em, Blinds are used to move play along.

§ The Player to the left of the dealer is called the Little Blind, the player 2 positions to

the left of the dealer is called the Big Blind.


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§ On the next page is the Blind Schedule that is used in World Tavern Poker Tournaments. Blinds should be increased approximately every 20-30 minutes but can be adjusted based on the speed of play you are looking for.

How To Play Texas Hold ‘Em (cont) § Each round every player must put up both the Big and Little Blinds. There are

times where players are knocked out that would seem to confuse the blind situation. Below are the 3 possible ways this can happen.

1. Let’s say the Little Blind in the current hand is knocked out. The next hand was his/her

turn to deal. In this situation, the Dealer stays the same, and the 2 players to his/her left are responsible for the blinds.

2. Now let’s say the Big Blind in the current hand is knocked out. The next hand was his/her turn to be the Little Blind. In this situation, the deal rotates to the left and the player to the left of the dealer is responsible for the Big Blind ONLY! Then, the following hand, the deal stays in the same place, and the 2 players to the left of the dealer are responsible for the Blinds.

3. Now let’s say the Big Blind AND the Little Blind are knocked out. The deal stays the same for 2 hands. During the first, the player to the left of the dealer is required to pay ONLY the Big Blind. During the second hand, the 2 players to the left of the dealer are required to pay the blinds

World Tavern Poker Tour Blind Schedule

Level Little Blind Big Blind

Level 1 100 200

Level 2 200 400

Level 3 400 800

Level 4 500 1,000

Level 5 1,000 2,000

Level 6 2,000 4,000

Level 7 4,000 8,000

Level 8 8,000 16,000

Level 9 15,000 30,000

Level 10 30,000 60,000

Break/Color In Chips


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How To Play Texas Hold ‘Em (cont) § Probably the number 1 “complaint” you will hear from players is that the Blinds

have gone up to quickly. It is important that you explain to them 2 things.

1. The Tournaments they watch on TV or play in their home are played over an entire day or even an entire week. WTPT tournaments are designed to have the highest level of entertainment over a reasonable amount of time for most players.

2. Everyone in the tournament is playing under the same rules and conditions. As a good player, they need to adjust their strategy and play to meet the format of the game.

§ If you are running 2 tournaments each night (as we recommend) we suggest that

you move the blinds in the first tournament up every 20 minutes. This will insure that you can get through a large field in about 3 hours. During the 2nd tournament however, you can slow these down because the only deadline you now have is the time your tavern closes.

Side Pots Because this is a “No-Limit” game, there are times where players do not have enough chips to cover another player’s “bet”. If the player that does not have enough chips wants to stay in the hand, a Side Pot is created.

1. Let’s say for example Player 1 wagers 150 points. 2. Player 2 would like to call, but only has 100 points left. 3. In this example, each player would place their 100 points in the main pot, and a

side pot is created with 50 points in it. 4. Player 2 can only win what he/she has wagered, so they are only able to partake in

the main pot. 5. Now lets say Player #3 also wants to call. They would place 100 points in the main

bet to call Players 1 and 2, and then another 50 points in the Side Pot. 6. It is possible that during a hand there are multiple side pots.

We always recommend finding a player at each table who is experienced, and letting them “manage” the table during questionable plays such as side pots.


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How To Play Texas Hold ‘Em (cont) Discrepancies § There are numerous variations of Texas Hold ‘Em, however all WTPT members

must follow those included within. § There may be times that a unique ruling is required that are not in this manual. For

these rare occurrences, the Floor Manager will make his/her ruling. Sometimes the players may actually know the answer…you will quickly get to know the players in your tournament that have played in other Vegas style tournaments.

§ Keep in mind that the goal is for your players to enjoy themselves. The more you

allow the table to manage themselves and make decisions/rulings democratically, the more fun they will have.

Player Scoring § At the end of each tournament, your top 20 finishers will receive points based on a)

Their Placement, and b) How many players were in the tournament. (see the chart on the next page)

§ The point system is designed so that in larger tournaments, the top 20 players are

rewarded with more points. That being said, you will notice that players do not receive twice as many points for tournaments with twice as many players. The reason is this; Although there are twice as many tables, each player is only playing against the 8-10 at their table…they simply have to advance through a few more tables to get into the point standings.

§ As you get down to 20 players, be sure to announce that each of them must report

to the Floor Manager once they are out. If they do not report, they will receive 0 points

§ If a player doesn’t report, their position is left blank. Example, if the person coming

in 13th place leaves without reporting to you, there will be NO 13th place. § At the end of the tournament, log on to www.WorldTavernPoker.com and click on

the Enter Tourn Results to the left. You will then enter the places of each of your players. Once this is done, your players rankings will be available.


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How To Play Texas Hold ‘Em (cont) Player Point System

20-40 41-60 61-80 81-100 100-120 120-140 140-160

Place

1 10000 11,000 12,100 13,310 14,641 16,105 17,716

2 9000 9,900 10,890 11,979 13,177 14,495 15,944

3 8000 8,800 9,680 10,648 11,713 12,884 14,172

4 7000 7,700 8,470 9,317 10,249 11,274 12,401

5 6500 7,150 7,865 8,652 9,517 10,468 11,515

6 6000 6,600 7,260 7,986 8,785 9,663 10,629

7 5500 6,050 6,655 7,321 8,053 8,858 9,744

8 5000 5,500 6,050 6,655 7,321 8,053 8,858

9 3500 3,850 4,235 4,659 5,124 5,637 6,200

10 3250 3,575 3,933 4,326 4,758 5,234 5,758

11 3000 3,300 3,630 3,993 4,392 4,832 5,315

12 2750 3,025 3,328 3,660 4,026 4,429 4,872

13 2500 2,750 3,025 3,328 3,660 4,026 4,429

14 2250 2,475 2,723 2,995 3,294 3,624 3,986

15 2000 2,200 2,420 2,662 2,928 3,221 3,543

16 1750 1,925 2,118 2,329 2,562 2,818 3,100

17 1250 1,375 1,513 1,664 1,830 2,013 2,214

18 1000 1,100 1,210 1,331 1,464 1,611 1,772

19 750 825 908 998 1,098 1,208 1,329

20 500 550 605 666 732 805 886

# Of Registered Players


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Hand Rankings

Royal Flush - The five highest cards, the 10 through the Ace, all five of the same suit. A royal flush is actually an ace-high straight flush. Which suit it is doesn't matter in poker. Two people with royal flushes would tie. Straight Flush - Any five cards of the same suit in consecutive numerical order. Our example shows a five-high straight flush. Four of a Kind - Four cards of the same denomination. Full House - Any three cards of the same denomination, plus any pair of a different denomination. Ties are broken first by the three of a kind, then the pair. Flush - Any five non-consecutive cards of the same suit. Straight Any five consecutive cards of mixed suits. Ace can be high or low. Three of a Kind Three cards of the same denomination. Two Pair Any two cards of the same denomination, plus any other two cards of the same denomination. If both hands have the same high pair, the second pair wins. If both pairs tie, the high card wins. Pair Any two cards of the same denomination. High Card If no other hand is achieved, the highest card held wins. In the case of a tie, it would go to the next highest card, and so on.


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HOW TO HOST AN EVENT


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How To Host A World Tavern Poker Event Hosting a World Tavern Poker Tour event is simple to do. In fact only 1 person is needed to run a tournament of up to 150 players. This section will walk you through the process, but keep in mind that as part of your registration with the World Tavern Poker Tour, we provide you and your staff with training in your area. TRAINING IS FUN! Basically, training is getting a chance to experience what your customers are going to experience. We go through and hold a Poker Tournament so that you can fully understand how it works. Contact the World Tavern Poker Tour to get more information on when the next training session will be held in your area. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO TO MAKE YOUR JOB AS EASY AS POSSIBLE, IS TO REQUIRE YOUR PLAYERS TO REGISTER ONLINE OR THEY WILL NOT RECEIVE POINTS FOR THAT TOURNAMENT. Make this announcement from your first tournament, and don’t give in ☺ Again, you can still allow them to play and receive prizes, they simply won’t receive any points.


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How To Host A World Tavern Poker Event (cont) Hosting a Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament is quite simple if you follow our recommendations in this section. Once again, please be sure to take advantage of the training sessions we will hold in your area each season. Before The Season Starts This section explains what you will need to do to prepare for your season.

Setting Your Schedule – To set your season schedule, simply log in to www.WorldTavernPoker.com and click on the Schedule a Tournament button. Once your season is set, players will be able to register online In most cases, we have created your season schedule for you, but always be sure that it is accurate. Creating a Season Schedule includes the following information

Season – Choose the Season for which you are creating the schedule. You will only be able

to create schedules for those seasons which you have registered for. Week – Each season is made up of 6 weeks. Simply choose the week you would like to

schedule from the drop down menu. Days/Dates – Each week is made up of 7 days of possible play. Simply select the Day/Dates

on which you would like to host your events. We recommend that you keep your Tournaments Days and Times the same each week…this builds a “schedule” in the player’s minds! # Of Players/Table – This is how many seats you will have at each of your tables. We always

recommend seating between 8 and 10. As a rule of thumb, if your table(s) seat 8 for eating, then you can allow 10 for playing. Players do not need as much room. # Of Tables – Enter the # of Tables you will have for this event. The # of Tables multiplied by

the # of players/table will automatically create the available number of seats for this tournament. Check In Time – Your players will be required to check in before the event so that you may let

those on the waiting list to fill in for the “no shows”. We recommend 45 – 60 minutes before hand. This gives you proper time to get everyone situated, as well as provides for more “bar time” for your players.


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How To Host A World Tavern Poker Event (cont)

Registration Opens – You can set when the registration for that event opens. We

recommend 5 days prior to the beginning of the event. Prizes – If you choose, you can list the prizes for each event. If you are planning on having

prizes, but are not yet sure what they are, or do not want to take the time to list each of them, simply state “Prizes will be announced at the Tournament” in the 1st place area. You can provide as many or as few prizes as you would like depending on the investment you are interested in making. You can give anything from t-shirts to gift certificates to decks of cards, poker chips or even poker tables. The choice is yours. Once you have projected your sales for that evening, you will get a better idea of the investment you should make in these prizes. 4 The more players that receive prizes (regardless of their value) has proven to be more

successful than just giving the winner a high value prize. 4 We recommend giving a prize to at least the Top 3 Players.

4 DON’T BE CHEAP! If you are consistently bringing in 100 players or more during a poker

night, that can easily result in $1,500 - $2,000 in sales for your business. A player will only come back so many times to win a T-shirt when their bar tab is $25.

Comments – This section allows you to make any special notes or announcements regarding

the event. No smoking, Beer specials, etc…


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How To Host A World Tavern Poker Event (cont) During The Season Each week during the season you will have to complete a few simple tasks to prepare for the tournaments. Included with your Tavern Pack is a Quick Set Up Guide (see next pages) This guide will walk you through the steps to Set Up, Run and Clean Up your Poker Tournament


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How To Host A Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament (cont)

During The Tournament Remember that hosting a WTPT events at your Tavern is entertainment for your customers. The more smoothly it goes and the more excitement you create will determine the success of each of your events and the number of players that will return. Utilizing these tips below will help ensure your success Use the QUICK SET UP GUIDE provide in your materials for each event. This is a simple pull-out review of what you and your staff need to do to prepare. § Preparing For A Tournament – For your first tournament, we recommend giving

yourself 2 hours of set up time. You will quickly find that each following event takes less and less time, until you can set up within 30 minutes.

§ Be Ready – Make sure that the event is ready to run when players show up. Have

the chips, cards, rules, etc and ready to go. Do not let them sit at the table until you have reviewed the rules. (believe it or not, people will cheat to win even the smallest prize)

§ Review The Rules – Be sure to review the basic rules before each tournament.

You are sure to always have a few new players, so this will help everything run more smoothly. In your New Tavern pack you have a Rules Review Sheet, for your first few tournaments be sure to use it…and ALWAYS REMIND THE PLAYERS OF THE NO GAMBLING RULE!

§ Announce The Prizes – Get the players excited by announcing what they are

playing for. § Create Excitement – We can’t emphasize this enough. Find ways to make your

environment fun, without interrupting play. Announce “All In on table 4”, or the first player out, or when you reach the final table.

§ Signal Increasing Blinds – You will need to announce each time the blinds are

increasing. If all of your players are in one area of your facility, it is very simple to just announce “The Blinds Will Go Up On The Next Hand”. However if your area is split up, we recommend providing a signal, a whistle, a cow bell or something else creative that lets them know.


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How To Host A Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament (cont) § Coloring In Chips – Each of your players will begin with 20 chips. As players

accumulate chips of losing players, the quantities can become overwhelming. We strongly recommend eliminating the Red Chips before break. Be prepared for this. If you follow our chip count/color/denomination, we have perfected a system to make this go quickly and smoothly.

§ Combining Tables – As players are eliminated, room will become available at

other tables. Remember that the player’s goal is to reach “the final table”. During the event, simply look for open seats, and ask players to leave their table and fill the empty seats. Keeping tables full will keep play moving along and creates a more enjoyable time. Note: Be sure that each time you combine tables you re-set the Deal. That is, deal out a card to each of the players until an A comes up. This player is now the new dealer.

§ Host A Second Tournament – We strongly recommend hosting 2 tournaments

per evening. Not only does this allow players who were eliminated early to get back in the action, it will also maximize the return on your night! As players are eliminated from the first tournament, be sure that you are preparing for the 2nd.

§ Prepare For Your 2nd Tournament - After you eliminate the Red Chips from play,

begin preparing for your 2nd tournament by getting the player’s chips ready to go. § Cleaning Up – As you are cleaning up from the tournament, do so to prepare for

the next tournament. For example, don’t just throw the chips in cases, put them in the correct order and in the chip trays for the next tournament.


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WORLDTAVERPOKER.COM


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WorldTavernPoker.com A major part of the services we provide is WorldTavernpoker.com that allows you to manage your Poker Tournaments and Players through a very simple and intuitive website.

This section will provide you some more details on what the site has to offer, as well as details for each section of the site.

Login Each player and Tavern creates a user name and password when they register. In order to utilize many sections of the site, you must be logged in

1

2

3

4

5


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For Players

Player Registration This allows players to register with The World Tavern Poker Tour. When registering, players are required to create a username and password, as well as provide an e-mail address so they can be contacted for updates on Tournaments, etc…

View Tournament Schedule This lets players view and register for any event in the country. The player simply selects a location, and information about each of those events is listed and allows the user to Register for a specific event.


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View Tournament Results Once a tournament is completed and the Tavern has updated the scores, the players can view the results. These results include how the top players finished and how many points they received.


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View Player Rankings Players are ranked at 3 levels § Tavern – The average of their best 2 scores at a specific tavern § City – The average of their best 3 scores in a specific area § National – The average of their best 4 scores


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For Taverns Create/Edit Schedule When you log in as a Tavern, the top section allows you to Create and/or Edit your schedule. § Season – Selection the season for which you are creating your schedule for § Week – Select the Week for which you would like to create/edit an event § Date – Select the Day/Date for that event § Time – At what time would you like the event to start? § #Players/Table – How many players will you have at each table? § # Tables – How many tables will you have available? § Check In – How many minutes prior to the start of the event would you like the

players there? § Registration Opens – How many days prior to the event would you like to open up

online registration? § Prizes – Enter the prizes for each of your tournaments § Comments – Add any special messages to players § Submit – When you are done, click submit and create your next event.


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Note: The time, players, check in, registration, prizes and comments will remain the same for each event you create unless you change it. This allows you to create an entire season schedule in a matter of minutes. Event Details When you are logged in, the bottom section gives you details of the events you have scheduled. § Players Registered – This will show you how many players have already registered

for this event. If you click on it, you will get a complete list of players names. § Send Mail – You can send a mail to all of the players who have already registered

for this event. Remember, anyone who registers after you send an e-mail will not get the message.

§ Add Player – You can add players to any event by clicking on Add Player, and choosing from a drop down menu of all registered WTPT Players.


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Print Tournament Registration As close to the start of the event as possible, print your tournament registration sheets. This sheet gives you a complete list of the players who have registered online as well as the table # they have been assigned to.


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Enter Tournament Results Once your tournament is over, you will mark down the order of the Top 20 Players so you can enter their results. Log into WorldTavernPoker.com, and click on Update Scores. From this screen you will see a listing of all of your Tournaments. Click on Add/Update Ranking for the event you would like to enter results. Your Registration List for that tournament will appear with a drop down menu next to each player’s name. Simply select the place that player came in, and click on Update when you are done. The player’s points will be automatically recorded. Note: You do not have to enter results for every player, just those who are receiving points.


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Home Page Shop: This section gives both players and taverns the ability to purchase WTPT products for prizes and for personal use. How To Play: This section explains both how to play No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em and the League Format used by WTPT FAQs: A listing of frequently asked questions along with responses About Us: How WTPT got started Contact Us: A listing of the different departments you can contact at the WTPT


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MARKETING CD


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Marketing CD The Marketing CD that was included in your registration provides you with some great marketing materials that you can print on your home printer, or take it to a print shop such as Kinko’s. Next season the World Tavern Poker Tour will be adding items such as Newspaper and Magazine ad slicks and possibly television and radio ads as well! Most of these images are on the CD as fixed images as well as PhotoShop files. If you use a graphics service, they can easily customize them with your logo, address and more! 18 x 24 Blank Poster This poster is 18” x 24” in size and allows you to add all of your Tavern and Tournament information File Name:18x24blankpostercopy.tif 19x27 Blank Poster – White Background This poster is 19” x 27” in size with a white background and allows you to add all of your Tavern and Tournament information File Name: 19x27BlankPoster.tif This Poster is also available in 11” x 17” under the file name 11x17blankposter copy.tif


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Marketing CD Flyer – 81/2” x 11” This flyer is to hang inside or outside of your establishment and provides you the room to enter your information. It is also on the CD as a photoshop file for your designers to add your information. File Name: FlyerBlank.tif Logo – Black & White Black and White high resolution version of the World Tavern Poker Tour logo File Name: LogoBlackandWhite.tif Logo – Color/No Background This color version of the WTPT logo has a white/no background. File Name: LogoNoBackground.tif Logo – Color w/Backgroun This color version of the WTPT logo uses the “old west” style background File Name: LogoWithWebAddress.tif


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Marketing CD (cont) Table Tents – 4”x6” - Blank Blank 4” x 6” Table Tents allowing room for you to add your information File Name: TableTentx4x6blank.tif Table Tents – 4”x6” – General Info 4” x 6” Table Tents with general info about WTPT events File Name: TableTentx4x6.tif Table Tents – 5”x7” 5” x 7” Table Tents with general info about WTPT events File Name: TableTentx5x7.tif Table Tents – 5”x7” Blank 5” x 7” Table Tents with room to add your information. File Name: TableTentx5x7blank.tif

Documents

Tavern Manual · The Game The World Tavern Poker Tour is a national organization that brings live No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em Poker tournaments to Taverns across the country. Yes, this